Automatic drain



AUTOMATIC DRAIN Filed Feb. 6, 1951 Patented Apr. 5, 1932V nutren ,STA Tm esoneri H LncAnrnNTIna-QF emanen, ILLi-Nois, AssIeNoR, BY ,D1-nner AND MEsNE AssieNnaNTs, fro ALBERT e. Jivrcmriiiis; or nvANsToN, ILLINors AUTOMATIC 'DRAIN lApplication led 'February 6,11931. 'Serial No. `f513;936.

My invention relates nto automatic :drains and contemplates :and `provides instrumentalities which automatically discharge liquid from the bottom of the radiator or other low e .point in the cooling system of an interna-l combustion engine whenever l,the Erelationship ,betweenfthe temperature ofthe .liquid and its specic gravity is such Ythat freezing tof A:the .li quid Vis-ilnminent 3.o The :specificfembodiment :of my invention `herein shown'and described is intended for use in connection with an g engine icooling system wherein the 'circulating ,liquid fis fan aqueous solution of alcohol. ,Butl wishit-to 1:1 lbeiunderstood that theapparatusnithepres- `ent invention readily may `he v*modified ltoY handle circula-ting @liquids the susceptibility of which 'to `freezing .becomes :greateras the vspecic gravity of the liquid becomes less. 2o ylhe vsus@eptibility to freezing Gian aqueous solution of alcohol, of coursefbecomesfgreater `as its specific gravity increases, that is,asfthe alcohol content of ,thesolution Abecomes less, due usually `to its vaporization-and aesicagpe fromthe system.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical .section and partly inelevation illustratingtheapparatus of the present vinvention applied :to the lower ,part of a radiator, which maybe .regarded astorminga partof thecoolingliquid circulating system of theinternal .combustion ,engine 4oi .an VVautomotive Mehiclef;

Figure n2 shows .the .housing .of .the .apparatus of lthe present invention 'in .horizontal section, the section being taken -on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the parts within the 'housing being shown in .top plan but with apart of the float or buoyantmemberbroken away to een reveal the elements which lie 4beneath it;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1^; and Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of top plate or cover with which the housing may be provided when itis desired Vto have a forced circulation of Vthe cooling liquid throughthe device of `the present invention whenever :the engine is operating.

Similar characters of vreference refer to 1 if similar 1par-ts throughout theseveral views.

VIn -the drawings :reference letter .Aprepresent-s Athe lower part fof a radiator :forming Y .part` of r the f cooling liquid .circulating system et the internaheombustionfen gineoff; aneauto- Vmobile vehicle,v At B .isshowna drain pipe 55 extending 4i-roinjthe .lower end A,of the eradiator, and at C is shown a cock or'tfhe:,drain .tion when :the rdevice of ithe v`present -inven- A'tionis inuse. y i v y The yapparatus of the. ipresent winvention coin-prises alhousing *10,:convenient`ly rectangularin horizontal section, which-isprovided 'fwith A,atop Vzplate Aorrcover 11 held inposition by screws 12 and flock 4washers 13, `a', sealing e5 ,gasket 14 =preferably beingzi-nserted between Y `the top plate-andthe upperredge .o-,the-housingfas shown. l i Y v The cover plate is provided vwith ,an upwardly extend-ing :hollow central .boss which .hasthreadedfengagement with ithefhousi-ng .of the cock C `:and :affords (--communication befvtween the interior of the housing ILO vand fthe Y flowerpartof thefradiatorA.` A 4 If .desired, fthe top plate or :cover l. may lloe provided with an aperture lnormall-y closed by a threaded plug 16 having associated there with -a lock `washer 1:7, the ypunpose of the Aaperture 15 being to facilitate'the Aelimination .of an air pocket at the top zoffthelhousing 10 whengliquid initially is permitted toflow from fthe radiatorfintoxthe housing 10. The aperyture 11:5 is, of .course tightly closed :whenzthe :apparatnszisiin use. r' viPivotally mounted within the housing 10 is a float or buoyant member 18, this float r'or buoyant member conveniently l:bei-ng hollow, "formedgof sheet metal, and being `generally `rectangu'larjin shape, 'as illustrated.-

Rig'idfl'y 'secured to the lower left hand corner of the float or A.buoyant member 18, by solder,br az'ing or in other convenient manner, is a shaft `lQhaving its ends'journalled, asis most clearly shown yin Figure 2.; V.Referring Q to Figure 2, it Willbe seen that oneend ofthe shaft 19 is received .inthe fboreo .a boss 2()v formed `integrally withthe housing l0 and that 4,the other end of said shait is receivedin the blind bore '21 of a plug 22 which .has -C threaded engagement with the housing side wall by which it is carried. v

The float or buoyant member 18 is provided .with a spring 23 which resists the buoyant "adj acent end wall ofthe housing 10. vIt will be understood, therefore, that the fioat or buoyant member 18 will assume a positionr determined by the specific gravity of the cooling liquid receivedV by the housing 10 from the lower part of the radiator A. When the spe- 'cific gravity of the liquid vis low, the ioat or buoyant member willlie at or about the posi- :tion shown in Figure 1. As the specific grav# ity becomes greater, the unpivoted end 'of the ioat or buoyant member takes a higherposif, Ytion by movement in opposition to the action ofthe spring 23. f

-Attached by solder, brazing or the like' to the under side of the float or buoyant memn ber, preferably at or near the shaft v19, is a vbi-metal or thermostatic strip 24, the free end of which is bifurcated at 25 to receive the stem 2G ofa valve member 27.' 'Since the bi-metal or thermostatic strip is immersed in the liquid within the housing 10, .the free end of the said y strip will assume a position dependent upon the temperature of the liquid as and for rea'- sons Vwell known to those skilled in the art.

In the present instance, it being conteniplated that the cooling liquid is an aqueous solution of alcohol, the bi-metal or thermostatic strip is so constructed that its free or bifurcated end will move toward thefioat or buoyant member 19 in response to a decrease in temperature and will move away from the same in response to an increase in temperature., Y Y l The valve member 27 normally co-operates with a tapered seat 28 formed in a down- Wardly projecting hollow boss formed integrally with the bottom of the housing 10. A light coil spring 29 encircling the valve stem 26 and acting between the valve member 27 and a valve stem guide 30, normally holds the valvemember in a position to prevent the e-scape of liquid from the housing 10.

The valve stem guide 30 is conveniently a metal annulus having apress fit in the position shown. 'At its upper end the valve stem 26Vis providedwith a head 81 which may be engaged by the thermostatic strip to lift the valve member 27 from its seat and thus permitl the escape of liquid fromthe housing 10 when, due to an increase in the specific gravity of the cooling liquid, or a decrease in the tempera-ture of same, or both, the liquid is in danger of freezing.

' The spring 23.V and the bi-metal strip 24 are so constructed and arranged, in relation toea'ch other and to the float or buoyant member 18, that the bifurcated end ofthe bimetal strip will engage the valve stem head 31to unseat the valve 27 and thusY permit the escape of liquid from the housing 10 whenever the relationship between the temperature of the liquid and its specific gravity is such asv to predict the imminent danger.v

`of freezing.

The housing 10 shouldV form the lowest part of the liquid circulating 'system to which it is applied. The connection of the housing with the lowermost part of the radiator of an engine cooling system, and the location of the housing beneath'the radiator as shown, ordinarily will insure that the liquid in the housing 10,5ory at any rate the liquid in the Vlowermost part of the housing 10, will be the lowermost liquid in the cooling system.

It will be noted that the thermostatic element 24 is located very closely to the bottom of the rhousing v1O,and is thus subjected to the temperature of the coldest liquid in the circulating system. y

Let us assume that an automobile engine, the cooling liquid circulating system of 'which Yincludes the improvements of the present invention, isleft parked and that due toa rapid fall in atmospheric tempera- '.ture, the lliquid-in the lowermost part of upwardly as the temperature Aof the liquidy in which`it is immersed becomes less. As or slightly before the temperature of the liquid in relation to its specific gravity, becomes i V such thatthe liquid is in danger of freezing,y

the bi-metal"r stripr engages the valve stem head 31 and unseats the valve 27 to permit the coldest water to drain from the housing 10.

As soon as the coldest water has been discharged and warmer water takes its position around the bi-metal strip 24, thefree. or bifurcated end ofthe strip moves away from the float or buoyant member 19, and may thus move sufficiently to permit. the closure of the valve 27. Ordinarily, when the Vdecrease in atmospheric temperature isnot too rapid, thel apparatus of the present invention functions only from time to, time to' permit the discharge of the coldest liquid in the circulating system, that is, the liquid at the lowermost point of the system, whenever that coldest and lowermost liquid is in danger of freezing. Of course, if the temperature of the liquid throughout the system is such that all of it is in danger of freezing, the float or buoyant member 18 and the thermo static 'Y strip carried thereby will 'function' and co-operate to hold the valve27 open until all of the liquid has been drained from the system.

Ordinarily, due to the turbulence of liquid in the cooling system when the engine is operating, the specific gravity of that part of the liquid in the system occupying the housing l() will be typical of the specific gravity of the liquid throughout the system. lf in any case, however, it is found that the connection between the radiator and the housing 10, which is afforded by the drain pipe B, is not sufficient to keep the liquid in the housing l0 representative of all of trie liquid in the system so far as the specific gravity is concerned, the apparatus of the present invention may be modified by substituting the cover or top plate ll-a of Figure 4 for the top plate or cover shown in Figure 1. The top plate lllca diifers from the top plate 11 only that it is provided with nipples 32 and 33 adapted for connection with small hose conduits 84 and 35, respectively. When the housing l0 is provided with a cover plate such as indicated at ll-a, the hose 34 may be connected with the circulating pump of the engine on the pressure side thereof, and thel hose 35 may be connected into the system at some point remote from the circulating pump.

lThis arrangement insures that there will aly ways be a more or less definite circulation of liquid through the housing l() when the engine is in operation, thus doubly insuring` that at all times the specific gravity of vthe liquid in the housing l() will be truly representative of the specific gravity of the liquid throughout the system.

Having thus illustrated andV described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. In combination with the liquid circulatmg system of an engine, means operating in accordance with the specific gravity of the liquid in said system, means operating in ac-` cordance with the temperature of same, and a drain valve influenced by the conjoint operation of the two means aforesaid.

2. In combination with the liquid circulating system of an engine, a thermostatic element subjected to the temperature of the liquid in said system and operating` in accordance therewith, a. drain valveV adapted to be influenced by said thermostatic element, and a buoyant member located in said liquid and adapted to take a position depending upon the specific gravity of the liquid, said thermostatic elementbeing carried by said buoyant member.

3. In combin ation with the liquid circulating system of an engine, means movable in accordance with the specific gravity of the liquid in said system, means movable in accordance with the temperature of same, and a drain valve responsive to movements of the two means aforesaid.

i; in Combination with .the liquid Circulatingsystem ofan internal combustion engine, i

a drain valve for said system, a kthermostatic element adapted to open said drain valve Vwhen a certain relationship exists between the i temperature ,and specific gravity ofthe `liquid in saidsystem, Vand means, operating in accordance with .the specicgravity of the liquid, carrying said thermostatic element.

5. ln'combination with .the liquid circulat-f liquid for varying the temperature-at which?? the thermostatic element will open the drain valve.

6. In combination with a liquid circulatinp system of an engine, a buoyantmember in and movable in response' to the specificgg,

gravity of the liquid insaid system, a drain valve adapted to be voperated by suc'hmem-l ber, and a temperature responsive member,

interposed between said buoyant member .and

said drain valve, adapted to determine whethf7 er or not .the drain valve will be open when the buoyant member has assumed any given posi-tion.

7.'. Incombination with an engine circulatingsystem including a radiator, a chamberC (,:onnected'withV the lower part of the radiator and adapted to vreceive `liquid therefrom, a buoyant member in said chamber adapted to assume a position depending upon the specific gravity of-the liquid in said chamber, athermostatic strip carried by said buoyant member andfimmersedin the liquid in said chamber, and a drain valve in said chamber adapted to be operated by said vthermostatic strip whenever the relationship between the tem--L jperat-ure of .the liquid and the specific gravity of same is such that freezing ofthe liquid is imminent.

8. In combination with an engine circulating system including a radiator, a cham-T ber connected with thellowerpart of the radiator and adapted to receive liquidtherefro-m, a buoyant member in said chamber adapted to assume a position depending-uponthe specific gravity of the liquid in said chamber, a thermostatic strip carried by said buoyant member and immersed in the liquid in said chamber, and a drain valve in said chamber adapted to be operated by said thermostatic strip whenever the relationship between the temperature of the liquid and the specific gravity. of same is such that freezing of the liquid is imminent, said drain valve `having a lost motion connection with said thermostatic strip. n

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a housing, a buoyant member within the housing, a thermostatic element carried by said buoyant member, and a drain valve for said housing operatively vconnected to said feo aos

thermostatic elementand subject tothe joint influence of the thermostatic element and the buoyant member. V

10. In combination Withthe Yliquid circulatingsystem of an engine, a buoyant member immersed in theV liquid in said system and adapted to take a ,position varying With the specific gravity of said liquid, a thermostatic element associated with said buoyant member and immersed in the liquid'in said system, and a drain valve for said system subject to the joint influence of said buoyant member and'Y said thermostatio element.

. 11. In-com'bination with a liquid circulating system of an engine, a buoyant member immersed in the liquid in said system and adapted to assume positions corresponding to the specific gravity or the liquid, a thermostatic element carried by said buoyant member and movable therewith, and a drain valve for said system havingy lost motion connection with said thermostaticelement and be ing adapted to be opened under the joint influence. of the buoyant member and the thermostatic element. y

l2. In. combination with aliquid circulating system of an internal combustion engine, a buoyantqmember immersed in the liquid in said system and adapted to assume posi tions corresponding to the specilie gravity Vof the liquid, a spring` opposing the buoyant tendency of said member, a thermostatic element carried by said buoyant member, said thermostatic elements being immersedv in the Y Y liquid of said system, and a drain valve for said system adapted to'be opened by thejoint actionof saidrbuoyant member and said ther- "mostatic'element,

13. An automatic drain comprising ay liquid receptacle, means movable in response to the specific gravity of the liquid in ysaid receptacle, 'means movable in response to changes in the temperature of said liquid,

'anda drain valve for said receptacle inlu-y enced bv the conjoint operation of the two means aforesaid.

vIn witness whereof, Iliereunto subscribe my name this 31st day or" January, 1931.

GEORGE H. LECARPENTIER. 

